Sewing machines



W. ENGEL SEWING MACHINES May 9, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 22,1956 W. ENGEL SEWING MACHINES May 9, 1961 Filed June 22, 1956 5Sheets-Sheet 2 y l,255; M' 9 W. ENGEL SEWING MACHINES May 9, 1961 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 22. 1956 r anni@ 52@ A f WW w W. ENGEL SEWINGMACHINES May 9, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 22, 1956 @SMQ Q @hwkmMay 9, 1961 W. ENGEL 2,983,240

SEWING MACHINES Filed June 22, 1956 5 Sheetsheet 5 Jnven/or:

United States Patent v a SEWING MACHINES v wolfgang Enger, Bielefeld,Gemany, signor-fo Phoenix- VVNahmaschinen A.G. Baer & -Rempel,Bielefeld,A Germany ' Y Fried June zz, 1956, set-.N0 593,246 i Claimspriority, vapplication Germany June 25, 1955 vSClaims. (Cl. 112-158)This invention concerns a method for the production of Vforwardly andrearwardly running decorative seams and machinesfor carrying out themethod.

Y More particularly, the invention relates to a method for theproduction of forwardly and rearwardly running decorative seams of thenature of button-hole edgings and to Van automatically Ycontrolledsewing meachne, suitable for the purpose, laterally. A l Y In theproduction of Vdecorative seams on automatically controlled machinesintended for the purpose, it is often required that the decorativeseamshould not be, made tofadvance inv one direction, 4but? should becarried4 for-7 wardly and rearwardly... For example1 Vthisis the case inthe production of buttonfholes inwhich firstly the border bounding theone edge ofthe button. hole is to be formed and then, withoppositelydirectedfmovement of the mawith aneedle bar which swings outlPatented May 9, 1961 stantly in driving connection with the camshaft,whereas the cams for the stitch position and/or the stitchlength and/orthe variation of the stitch width can be coupled selectively to thecamsshaft. Theuncoupling may then bev effected automatically by suchshaping of the cams that they themselves release theconnection to thecam; shaft at the end of theprescribed movement.

The previously known zig-zag sewing machines for th production of buttonholes, in whichA the material-is clamped fast and is positivelycontrolled, are simply one purpose machines of complicated construction.The feed dog executes a quadrangular movement and carries the materialalong intermittently by friction. When sewing a button hole, it is thuspractically impossible, as already indicated, Vfor the light and leftborders to possess the same number of stitches. Y

Inl contrast, the invention permits of the provision of a universalzig-zag sewing machine of simple construction in which manual controlmeans and automatic control meansware used, in one vWorking operation,for changing the adjustment on the machine, whereby the aforesaiddiiiiculties can be avoided. Y

By way of example of an embodiment of the invention; the drawings show adecorative-stitch control unit o f a button-hole sewing machine in whichdisc cams of a tpye known perse operatethe needle-bar rockers. Theinventioncan, of course, also be utilizedfin sewing machines terial, theborder bounding the other edge of the button hole. In thisw however,certain diiculties arise, for instance due to the fact: that thematerial is not conveyed in precisely the samefashion by the feeddevice-the material foodV dog-in' the ltwo .directions of. movement. Thedecorative seam'would therefore requireu aV different number orarrangement of lstitches for the forward move? ment than for the'retur'nand its end does not terminate cleanly at the commencement whenthepreviously known automatically acting `zig-zag sewing machines aresused`Similar difficulties alsofarise .with Yother forwardly and rearwardlyrunning decorative l f The invention accordingly Vprovides, remedies inthat both theautomatic control andalso manual control: are employed,during the formation of seam,y to bring about' thenecessary` adjustmentsf of the. machine, that is particularly the adjustment of thel size ofoversttch or stitch wiclth,` the position of. Stitch regionand theamountaridl direction. of the feed'moye'inent.. f

commencement ofrthefselcond'border arefeffectedjnde autQmatic'-,controlwithl iorward opera-firm :of the; ,naming a@ @any die. sewn@bfdtlis. cpmpleteeby mamar wat@ withforwagnrop ,'QThI'e sewing' machinef f l carrying lout* the method! of oveif'from iautoritatie" controlAtolV control, that isY itfcaifbe'switched overfroriiv 'ne 'mode 'ofoperation to the other, "duringfstitchprodction. K Preferablypthe sew?ing machine has cams* forl controlling the tvdthof2 the When sewing.huttoni-holesfthisf be *.etcted, iiipar-VL the=invention is'so construed thatit ofchangeV f stitcln-the position-of the stitcli,the lengthofthe stitch Y i and the variation Vof the stitch width;y of which Vcamsfone a least can be seletivery c uptettoits camshaft. Suitb'ly, however,this selective 'cupling to YtheV camshaftJis prngiaeaufra pijural'ity fthe taidfcmarsay in'rsueha @am fhatrfthe eamfi'for the stitchwidth rafwithVV a decorative-stitch control unit inwhich thedisccamsautomatically control the setting means of a zig-zag device. lIn the drawings: Figure 1 represents the front elevation 0f a sewingimachine arm with ay control unit for the production of decorativestitches and for the automatic production of button holes, Figure l-a isa detail showing the connection of the mechanism to the' feed dogsetting shaft, v

Figure 2 the stitch-setting lever mechanism in side elevation, Figure 3a section on the yline III-III in Figure 6,- asseen in the direction ofthe arrows, Figure 4 a section on the line IV--IV in Figure 6, asseen'in the direction of the arrows, Figure 5 a ysection on the line V-Vin Figure 6 as seen inthe direction of the arrows, j F'gure 6 the planview ofthe arm with the control unit, Y Y

Figures"7 to 9 indicate the positions of the cams 7,

8 and 9 and also the positions of the levers co-acting with and 9 andalsothel positions of the levers co-acting therewith, at thecommencement of the second locking, 'l Figure 13 represents the handlever 47 and its cam surface 48, Y 1

Figures" `14 to. 16 illustratethe manner of operation f of the Vclutch,"Figu'reflliar representing, 'in chain lines',-

a=partialelvation, corresponding to Figurevl4to a larger Figure 'l\7-sliows' Ya diagrammatic representation of a button-holefseanis'uch asis produced with the various working positions of'Figures 7 'to 13, fFigure 18 -is an exploded view, of the` clutch and earn mechanism. 'y LMounted-in the arm 1 of the sewing machine, in `accordance with Figure1is the arm shaft 2 which drives tlie'carnsliaftv 5-by way` of vthe worm3 and wormwheel,V 4.V This shaft Svis rotatably mounted in a sleeve 5'se cured to anged'sleeve 6 fastened by screws 6 to support plate-6`which is secured b y' screws and suitable anges to the arm:v 1.'Interchangeably` disposedjon the-canili shaft` 5`(Figuresf7,` 8and9),areY the cam disc7'which? i lateral deliection to tionpfgtheneedle. 'I'he cam 7 is connected to the cam shaftl by a key and grooveand is secured against axial displacement by a ball 7" biased intogroove 5f in shaft by spring 7'. The cams Sand 9 are arranged securely on a clutch bushing 10 by key and groove means and are secured againstaxial displacement by a lock ring Clutch bushing 10 is mounted freely onthe camshaft i and on its lower end face, as more clearly shown inEigure or Figure 14, teeth 11 which can enter into corresponding toothgaps 12 in a flange 13 of the cam shaft 5. The cam 7 for the lateraldeection of the needle cooperates with the oscillating lever 14 (Figures5 to 7) which rocks about the pivot 15 xed on the support plate 6. Thecam S for influencing the amount and direction of the material feedco-operates with the bell-crank lever 16, (Figures 4 and 6) which rocksabout the pivot 17 xed on the support plate 6. The lever 16 has thelongitudinal slot 13 in which the pin 19 (Figure 6) can be displaced.The nutV 20 is provided for securing the `adjusted position'of this pin.Secured to this pin 19 is a steel band 21 which runs over the guideroller 22 and is operatively connected tothe setting lever 23 rigidlymounted on the lsetting shaft 24 (Figure 2). Under the action `of thespring 2 5 (Figure 1), by lway of lever 23 and the steel v band 21, thelever 16 bears resiliently against the cam surface of the cam disc 8.Setting shaft24 is rocked as determined/bycarn 8 by way of bell cranklever 16,` band @Land setting lever 2310 control the material feed asdescribed in U.S. Patent No. 2,846,966. To make it pos-V sible, whensewing without automatic action, to render theaction of the cam 8 on thesetting mechanism o f the feed device ineliective and thereby to changeover, in accordance with the invention, to hand control, the guideroller 2.2. can be lowered. This is effected by the same lever 26(Figure 2) with'which the amount and direction of the feed are adjustedby hand. 'Ihis hand lever 26, which has an angularly extending member 26and, which is mounted in the arm 1 at the joint 27, carries the cam 2Son which bears the pin 29' likewise mounted yin the `arm and connectedfirmly to a fork 29' arnying theroller y22.. A pull rod 30' is rotatablydisposed on the lever 26 at the point 30 and has, at its lower cnd, alongitudinal slot 31 which receives the pin 32, fixed on lthe settinglever 23. At its lower end, the

e A 4 y2,983,240* "r the needle transversely of against the flange -13of the camshaft 5,

Yfor the lateral position of the needle further possesses, on

pin 46 (Figure 1) which bears under the action ofthe spring 49 againstthe cam surface 48 (Figures 6 and 13) of the hand lever 47v which -anbe'turned about the axis of the camshaft.

The control unit further possesses an arrangement which allows the cams8 and 9 to be'uncoupled from the camshaft automaticallyand coupledthereto manually. This is effected by axial shifting of the clutchybushing 10 on thecamshaftS. Ij v "In order toensure reliable drivingofthe clutch bushing 10 in the engaged condition, this bushing has inits interior apermanent magnet' 504 which draws it rmly The cam 9 itsunder side, two cam crests 5-1 and 52'; (Figure 14 and 14a) which,during turning of the cam 9, run on to corresponding coacting cam crests53 and 54 on the clutch disc 55, which is arranged tobe rotatable aboutthe axis of the camshaft 5, andv thereby raise the clutchbushing 10until the teethV 11 have come out of engagement with the tooth" gaps 12in the flange 13, whereupon the cams 8- andf9 thus come tok rest. lnorder lto'avoid jamming on shifting'of the clutch bus'hing'jl, theclutch ring or the clutch discf55 has two domed 'cam crests 56,' 56which are displaced by 907 in relation to the crests 54 and 53v andwhich permit of adjustment of the clutch ring 55 to suit thedilerencesinheight, resulting from production causes, between the crests 51 to 54. vt j Y To eiect coupling, the operator Ylresses on the clutch lever'60against thecactionof the spring 60 `(Figure.15). The clutch ring 575,'pivotally :connected v1 0-'the clutch lever 60 `is thereby rocked.'YVvDue' vto thefslope ofA the crests 51454, the cams Stand '9 partakeinthis rocking steel ,band 21 likewise has a longitudinal slot 33 whichreceives the pin 3-2 and is biased by spring 33 against guide roller 22.If the lever 26 is situated in the position 34 shown in Figure 2 theguide roller 2.2 is raised and the steel bandl is tensioned under theaction of the spring 25 andthe lever 16 bears on Vthe cam 8. Y In Athisposition 34, therefore, the material-feedris automatically controlled.If the lever 26 is moved to the-position 3S, the roller Z2 is lowered bymeans of the cam Z8. The automatic control of the material feed isvthereby rendered inoperative and the pin 3 2 is moved,

under the action of the spring 25, so Vfar downwardly that it comestovbear at therend of the slot 31. In this posi-V the pivotjoint 39 andcarries the slide surface 40 along which the connecting bar 41 can bedisplaced byl means of the lever 44. In accordance with Figure 1, theconnect-v ing bar-,41 is connected at the left by means of the ballYjoint 4 5 to the pendulous frame 4Z which, at the point 43 is; mountedin the head of the arm 1in pointed pins orY tieni-of thev needle byyhand,i the position lever :Zhas ;a

movement until the Vnoses 57 or 57 on the' cr'est`s, 51 a'nd 521(Figures 14, 14a and 16)VVA bear against thev stop 59 (Figures 14aandlS) whichjis hired by screws to the sup-` port plate 6; 'Upon furtherrockin-g of the clutch ring 55, the crests 53 and 54vslidel past underthe'noses 57 and 57'-, whereupon they release the crests 51 and 572 sothat the clutch bushing 10 Acan slide down again and return to thecoupling position in which it engages With the ange 1,3 by means of theteeth ,11. Should satisfactory engagement not =be brought 4about by theweight of the coupling bushing`10 itself, theY inclined surfaces 58 andSSofthe clutch ringjSS encounter correspondingly inclined surfacesV of'the noses"57 and 57' and, upon the further rocking, will positivelypress the 'clutch vbushing 10 downwardly and thereby Ycouple it withthe'ange 13. After release Vof the. `handle160,the clutch rin-g 155 4andthe handle 60 will return to their original positions under the actionof the spring 6 0". I l

l:For the automatic sewing ofjbutton holes, thecam 7 f orthe lateral'dellectionof the needle has'cam surfaces y' whichproduce 'zig-zagstitches. "'I'he 9,for thelateralvposition of the' needle has; camsurfaceswhich Aare' soshaped that, bymovements superimposed upon thezig' zag movements, they produce terminall crossstitches (the transverseseamsclosing the endsof the buttonhole) and create ther-ight' "and, leftborders by changing the ylateral positnqf thefnfe'dll For purpose', therams Tand 9 ,"e'so (fo-ordinated that, during thejsewing of tlxglockiig'seams, the-needle desastreus and 'the 'movementdeterminingthemeanneedlQPOSitionstakelplace'at the sameftime'and tothe'nsa'meV side and that, fonfexample, the Afirst button'fholestitch.commences with ra,ck1etlection of the needle to theleft and with theleft-handfposition of,the needleandthat the button hole is completedwith the needle in the left-handposition.

The cam 8 Vfor inuencing the feed g of the material carrieslfcamfsurfaces which are shaped so that rthey ma terialris conveyedrearwardly. The position of the crests 51 .and 52 inrelationV to thecams 8 and 9 on the onehand pintlesq- For the purpose of controlling thelateral posi- "I i andtofthe crests 5 3 and 54 on ,theother handis madesuch thatgthe canisf andy-910mm ,withthesamshaft only while producingterminal cross stitches for the but ton-hole. Y Y

For the automatic sewing of button holes, the. le`ver 26 (Figure 2')v isbrought into the position 34 and the lever 47 (Figure 6) isset to theextreme right-handposition, so that the' pin 46 (Figure 1 does not beanagainst the cam surface 48 (Figure 6), -but the lever 3 8 is Iin contactwith the cam 9. The lever 44 (Figure 6) is set soV that thelpoint 41a ofthe connecting bar 41 is situated approximately at the middle of` thelength of theslide surface 40 (Figure 9). This position is markedl by anotch 44 in the arm of the machine. The cams 8 and9 are coupled to thecamshaft 5 and thus to cam 7 by operating the handle V60arid the machineis then ready forV the automatic sewing of button holes.` I Upon thecommencement of sewing, the machine sews the iirst terminal ystitches ofthe button. hole. The material is conveyed rearwardly and, 'after vaboutone quarter to one half of a revolution of the camshaft, the locking orterminal stitches arecompleted.` Thereupon the cam 9 impartsto theneedle a right-hand position with which the right-handjborder of thebutton hole is sewn. The crests 5 1 and 52 run on to the crests 53 and54 and, after a halfA revolution, uncouple the cams 8 and 9 'from theshaft. The right-hand position of the needle and the rearward conveyanceof the material are thus lmaintained, so that the machine continues toVsew the l,righthand border of the button hole, unaffected bythecoupling, until the handle 60 is actuated thereby coupling the cams 8and 9 again to the camshaft 5. Upon the comL mencement of the secondhalf revolution of the cam V8,

the conveyance of the material is changed to forward feed while upon thecommencementY of the secondhalf revolution of the cam 9 the latterfirst: of' all produces adjusts the needle to the ileftzi, The' machinetlen sews the second border of the button hole:v A fter the completionof the second half revolution ofthe cams 8 and f?, the teeth 11 of theclutch bushing 10 and thetoothgaps 12 in the flange 13 of the camshaft 5are broughtfout Yof engagement by the crests51254; The cams Sand 9 tlinsremainA stationaryV after the-second half revolution, withoutrtheposition of thev needle andthe direction and airiountA of' the materialfeed being changedf'fjConsequently the machine-continues, unaffected bythe" coupling, to sew the second .border of the' button hole untilthemachineis stopped. v AThe' cams, suchfr'eiaxiple" as 7, '8, 9, mayalso be designed as cams closed on themselves. The number of clutchteeth 11 on the clutch bushing 10 corresponds to the number of crests ofthe cam 7 for the lateral deflections of the needle if this cam isdesigned as a zigzag cam. Y

Instead of the cam discs such as 8, 9, the clutch bushing may also carrya cam band. By this means it is possible also to produce eyelet-holesautomatically with the arrangement described. In this case, the camcrests 51 and 52 would be situated on the cam band.

Since, upon the completion ofthe button-hole seam, the disengaged cams8, 9 assume a position such that both the lever 38 and `also the Vlever16 are located on the smallest cam-surface circle, itis possible tocontinue to work with the machine without changing the cams or othermanipulations as with any other zig-zag machine or, however, to producea further button-hole by operating the hand lever 60.

l. VIn a zig-zag sewing machine'of the type having an arm shaft, aVneedle bar, a needle bar oscillator and a connecting bar pivotally4connected at one end to s aid oscillator,;needle bar oscillating means,and stitch position setting means including 'rst and second camYfollower means, respectively, adapted to transfer cam controlledmovements to the other Vend of said connecting means, the second saidcam beingoperatively connected to said connecting bar by way of saidsecond caml follower kmeans to impart ypositioning movements thereto,and the third said being operatively engagedby said thirdfcanifollower'meaniand coupling means interposed between said camshaft andsaidsecond and thirdcams including vactuating'. means operativetoestablish the coupling between said cam shaft and said second andthird cams and automaticallyQope'ative in two positions ofrotationof'saidpam shaft and said c ams to disengage said couplingmeans.

2. In. a 21g-zag sewing machine of the type having an arm shaft', aneedle bar, a needle bar oscillator and a connecting bar pivotallyconnected at, one end to said oscillator, needlebar oscill'atingmeans,and stitch position setting means including first and second cam follower means, respectively, vadapted to transfer cam controlledmovementsY to the other end ofl said connecting bar,andlstep/,controlmeans-'adapted to change the length and direction offthe. material feedy stepsof the machine and including third'camfollower means, guiding mechanismcornprisingthree cams operativelysupported on a shaftjhaving driving engagement with said arm shaft,.onesaid cambeing -xedly connected to said cam shaftand Vbeing '.adaptedtoimpart oscillating impulses toV saifdconnecting bar byway of said rstcam follower means, the second said cam being operatively connected tosaid connecting bar by way of said second .cam followen lmeans .toimpart positioning movements thereto, andthe third said cam beingoperatively engagedV by said thirdcamfollower means, and coupling meansinterposed betweensaid cam shaft and said second and third camsincluding actuating means operative to establish the couplingbetweensaid cam shaft andisaid secondand third` cams and automaticallyoperative-in two positions of rotationof said camshaft and said cams todisengage said copling'means, said second andthirdfcamsbeing connectedt9 one another and movable `o`n said cam shaft, said shaft liavi 1`1fgfa1 Bangey portion presenting toth gaps? disald.gsedoarianrpfesemingiwah.adaptado ngagesaidigaps Y 'l 3.Y In azig-zag sewing machine of the typehaving an armshaft, a needle bar, a needle vbar oscillator and aconnecting bar pivotally connected at one end to Vsaid oscillator,needle bar oscillating means, and stitch'position setting meansincluding first and second cam foland including third cam followermeans, guiding mechanism comprising three cams operatively supported ona cam shaft having driving engagement with ,said arm shaft, one said cambeing xedly connected to said cam shaft and being adaptedto impartoscillating impulses to said connecting bar by wayof said first camfollower means, the second said cam being operatively connected to saidconnecting bar by way of said second cam folt lower means Vto impartpositioning movements thereto,

1 and the third said cam being operatively engaged by "said third camfollower means, andv coupling means interposed between said cam shaft-and said second and 4third cams including actuating means operative toestablish the coupling between said cam shaft and said second and thirdcams and Vautomatically operative in two positionsrof rotation of saidcam shaft and said cams to disengage said Yai'i'i'rsli'aft, a needlebar, a needle bar oscillator and a conneeting barlpivotally connected atone end to said oscilletton/needlebaroscillating means, and stitchposition set# ting'meansincluding first and second cam followermeans, Y

respectively, adapted'tor-V transfer cam controlled move;

ments to the other VendY of said connecting'bar; and step control means'adapted to changethelength and direction ofthe material feed steps ofthe` machine and including third camgfollower means,l guiding mechanism'comprisf Ving three Ycams operatively supported on" a cam shaft havingdriving engagement with said arm shaft, one said cam being xedlyconnected to said cam'shaftv'and bein-g adapted to impart oscillatingimpulses to said Aconnecting ingrbar by way of said first cam'followermeans, the second said cam being operatively connected to saidconnecting ba'r by way of said second fcam follower meansto impartpositioning movements thereto, and the third said cam being operativelyengaged by saidthird cam follower means, and coupling means interposedbetween said cam shaft-and's'aid second and third camsincludingactuating meansfoperative to establish the coupling betweensaid Ycam'fshaft andl said second and thirdY cams Vand auto*- matic'allyoperative intwo positions of rtationof said cam shaft and said cams tovdisengage saidy coupling means, and-supporting means disposedr abovesaid arm shaft' supporting'said cam follower means and said cam shaftjsaid first and second cam followermeans compn'singrst and second levers,respectively, said levers having a pivot connection proximate adjacentends thereof and said first lever being pivotally mounted at its otherendcon said supporting means, saidrsecondlever*being yadapted to follow'the' movements of saidgiirs'tlever by way of said pivot connection andhaving a-sliding surface,"'and a settingiarm having `ahmdle andhavingslidinglengagement withgsaid Aconnetiii'g bai said other end ofsaid con#fleeting?bar ,sliding engagement` with 'fand being movable Valong; saidsliding surfaelin response?l tov movesadisme l '8 lator, needle baroscillating'means, vand stitch position set-y ting means including `nrstand seconde-am follower means, respectively, adapted 'to transfer camcontrolled movements;` to Vtheother'endl of'said connecting bar, andstep control means adapted tochange'the length and direction of lthen'r'aterialfeedr steps-of the machine and including third` carnefollower means, guiding mechanism comprisf ing three-camsoperativelysupported on a cam shaft having driving engagement Withlsaidarm shaft, one said cam being lixedly connectedv to'said Ycam. shaft andbeing adapted to impart oscillatingimpulses to said connecting bar byway ofsaidV iirst cam follower means, theV second said cam beingoperatively connected to said connecting bar by way of said second Ycam`followerV meanstd impartpositioning movements thereto, rand the saidcam being operatively V'engaged by s aid third carnfollowe'r means, andcoupling means interposedbetween said shaft andsaidsecondand third camsincluding actuating means operative to vestablish'the coupling betweennsaid cam shaft and said second Vand Vthirdearns yand lauto'- maticallyoperativepin'two positions of rotation of said cam shaftand said cams todisengage said coupling means, said actuating means including a, camdisk Vjournalled around said cam shaft and having a rstcarnconfo'rmation for disengaging said coupling means and said' second lReferences Cited in the tile ofvthisi. patent L UNITED STATESV PATENTS"Rader f; Dec. 21,1926

1,675,508 Muller 1 a July 3 ,11928k 2,378,534 Beyer- .Tune 179,A 1945v2,653,557 Casas-Robert et |al V .V Sept. 29, v19753 2,684,649 Y Scarpar o July 27, 1954 2,764,895 Bono r o r. AOct.; 2, 1,956

